Apparatus and method for reducing fiber bales



Oct. 7, 1969 c. JUST 3,470,585

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING FIBER BALES Filed April 12, 1966 3Sheets-Sheet l 6 i r 1 I w & w

pl 1 r3 5 34 a; i 7 l I 1 25 I so 6 Fig.1 7 \j INVENTOR.

CHRISTIAN JUST A TTORE 7S APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING FIBER BALESFiled April 12, 1966 C. JUST Oct. 7, 1969 3 Sheets-5heet 2 Fly. 2

' JNVENTOR.

CHRISTIAN JUST ZATT R2 EVS Oct. 7, 1969 c. JUST 3,470,585

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING FIBER BALES Filed April 12, 1966 3Sheets-Sheet. I5

JNVENTOR.

CHFHST/AN JUST M W 41310 EYS United States Patent 3,470,585 APPARATUSAND METHOD FOR REDUCING FIBER BALES Christian Just, Winterthur,Switzerland, assignor to Maschinenfabrik Rieter A.G., Winterthur,Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Apr. 12, 1966, Ser. No.542,129 Int. Cl. D01g 7/08, 7/12 US. Cl. 19-80 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE The compressed fiber bales are passed over the reducingelements in a stepwise manner. During movement of a bale across thereducing elements the presser plate presses the bale against thereducing element for reducing of the bale whereas, after movement of thebale, the presser plate is adjusted into a lower position to compensatefor the reduced portion of the bale.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing fiberbales. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus andmethod for reducing a compressed fiber bale at a predetermined reducingoutput per unit of time. Still more particularly, this invention relatesto an apparatus and method for reducing a series of compressed fiberbales at the same rate.

Heretofore, the conventional apparatus and method for reducing fiberbales relied on the use of a dead weight which pressed the fiber baleagainst a reducing element which moved relative to the fiber bale. Insome cases the weight of the fiber bale was used to create the deadweight thereby allowing a progressively diminishing load on the reducingelement while in other cases additional weights were placed on the fiberbales as they were being progressively reduced in order to maintain aconstant load against the reducing element.

However, both the diminishing and constant load methods apparatus areobjectionable since they cannot reduce fiber bales of differentcompressed densities. Thus, a higher compressed density fiber bale isreduced at a slower rate than a lower compressed density fiber baleunder the same load. Further, the mixture ratio of the fiber material ofthe bales have been disturbed at the lower reducing output of individualreducing elements and at the reduced delivery of the fiber material.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatusand method for reducing a compressed fiber bale at a predetermined rate.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus andmethod for reducing a series of compressed fiber bales at the same rate.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus andmethod of reducing compressed fiber bales in progressive steps to obtaina predetermined rate of output.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus andmethod of reducing compressed fiber bales in progressive steps under aconstantly moving load to obtain a predetermined rate of output.

Generally, the apparatus of the invention comprises at least one balereceiving means for receiving a com- "ice pressed fiber bale, at leastone reducing element means for reducing the fiber bales, loading meansfor pressing the fiber bales in the receiving means towards the reducingelement means and mechanism means for adjustably increasing the pressureof the loading means on the' fiber bales before the bales are moved overthe reducing element means so as to obtain a predetermined rate ofoutput from the reducing element means.

The method of the invention comprises the steps of positioning at leastone compressed fiber bale adjacent a reducing element means, pressingthe positioned bale at a constant rate in a direction towards thereducing element means to impose a load on the bale and moving the baleacross the reducing element means to reduce the bale at a predeterminedrate of output.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in conjunction with thefollowing drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a portion of an apparatus accordingto the invention.

FIG. 2 is a large scale sectional view taken along line II in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged illustration of an advance mechanism forthe pressure increasing mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1and 2.

Referring to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by likenumerals, compartments 1 in respective frames 2 each receive a bale 7.The frames 2 move in the direction indicated by the arrow (FIG. 1) on atable 3 along an annular rail 4. A plurality of reducing elements 5 ismounted on the table 3 and equally distributed around the center of therail 4. The reducing elements or rasps 5 extend between bars of rockablegrates 6 (FIG. 2) and reduce the bales placed in the compartments 1 ofthe frame 2 as the bales move over the table 3.

Two vertical threaded spindles 10 and 11 are located in walls 8 and 9,respectively, of the compartments and extend through threaded bores in aloading plate 12 for lifting or lowering the piate 12 upon rotation ofthe spindles. A bale 7 placed underneath the plate 12 is presseddownward against the table 3 upon suitable rotation of the spindles 10and 11 by means of a chain 13 engaging sprocket wheels 16 and 17 mountedthereon. The chain 13 is stepwisely driven by means of a sprocket wheel14 mounted on a vertical shaft 15 which is driven by a ratchet mechanismsupported by the frame 2. The ratchet mechanism shown on an enlargedscale in FIG. 3 comprises an arm 18 freely swingable on the verticalshaft 15, a spring loaded pawl 19 mounted on the arm 18, a ratchet Wheel20 fastened on the shaft 15, and an adjustable covering element 21interposed between the pawl 19 and the ratchet wheel 20. The coveringelement 21 is movable around the shaft 15 and can be fixed by anysuitable means such as a screw 22 in any desired angular positionrelative to a stationary hub 23 which is concentric with the shaft 15.The covering element 21 prevents engagement of the pawl 19 with the partof the wheel 20 covered by the element 21. Upon each revolution of theframe 2 due to engagement of the arm 18 with a stationary abutment 25mounted on a ceiling 24 (FIG. 2) above the apparatus the arm 18 is swungthrough an angle B into the position shown by dotted 3 lines in FIG. 3.The pawl 19 moves thereby beyond the covering element 21 and drops intoa gap between the teeth of the ratchet wheel 20 and turns the wheelthrough an angle a.

Where it is desired to increase the advance of a bale in a particularcompartment, for example, because the bale is initially higher than theother bales of a series and, therefore, requires a greater reducingspeed in order to completely reduce the bale within the same time as isrequired for other bales, the covering element 21 is turned clockwisearound the hub 23 so as to increase the angle a. This effects earlierengagement of the pawl 19 with the ratchet wheel 20 and a rotation ofthe wheel through a greater angle.

The grate 6 is swingably supported at the location where the bale movesonto the grate and is pressed upwardly by means of a spring 26 acting onan arm 27 which is rigidly connected to the grate.

Where, due to the disparity of the bales, reduction of a certain bale isinsuflicient, i.e., that the reduction rate does not correspond to thedesired reducing output per time unit, the constant advance of theloading plate 12 results in increasing pressure being exerted by thebale on its support so that, when the bale passes over the grate 6, thelatter is turned somewhat downward agaiiist the action of the spring 26and the reducing element digs deeper into the bale. In this Way theinitial small reduction caused by the compactness of the bale iscompensated in a very simple manner.

In order to avoid manual operation of the spindles: and 11 when liftingof the loading plate 12 is desired, a spur gear 20' is mounted on theupper end of the shaft to engage with a pinion 28 (FIG. 2) on theshaftof a motor 30 when the frame 2 is in a predetermined position. Themotor 30 is connected to a lever 29 which is pivotally connected to theceiling 24. Engagement of the pinion 28 with the gear is effected by aspring 31 (FIG. 1). The shaft of the motor 30, when the motor is notenergized, is rotated somewhat at every passage of a bale container andafter a slight deflection of the levr 29. If it is desired to lift theplate 12 after sufiicient reduction of a bale, rotation of the frame 2is stopped by conventional manual means (not shown) at the moment whenthe pinion 28 engages with the spur 20 whereafter the motor 30 isstarted by pressing a switch 32. When the plate 12 has reached itsuppermost position, the motor 30 is stopped by a limit switch 33. A newbale can then be placed into the empty compartment 1 from the side afteropening a door 34 (FIG. 1) and rotation of the frame can be resumed.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for reducing compressed fiber bales comprising:

a table,

at least one grate mounted on said table for receiving a compressedfiber bale thereon,

at least one reducing element means extending through said grate forreducing the compressed fiber bale on said grate,

at least one frame movably mounted on said table for receiving acompressed fiber bale therein to move the received bale across saidgrate,

loading means movably mounted in said frame above the received bale forpressing the received compressed fiber bale in a direction toward saidreducing element means, mechanism means mounted in said frame foradvancing said loading means toward said grate to adjustably increasethe pressure of said loading means on the compressed fiber bale forpressing of the fiber bale against said reducing element means, and

means for actuating said mechanism means to produce a predeterminedreducing rate of output.

2. An apparatus for reducing compressed fiber bales comprising at leastone bale receiving means for receiving a compressed fiber bale therein,at least one reducing element means for reducing the compressed fiberbale in said bale receiving means,

loading means for pressing the compressed fiber bale in said balereceiving means in a direction toward said reducing element means,

mechanism means mounted on said bale receiving means for advancing saidloading means at a predetermined stepwise rate towards said reducingelement means in order to influence the pressure of said loading meanson the compressed fiber bale in said bale receiving means so as tocompensate for the pressure drop caused during the reducing of thecompressed fiber bale by a preceding passage by said reducing elementmeans, and

means for actuating said mechanism means after passage by said reducingelement means.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said mechanism meansincludes means operatively connected to said loading means for advancingsaid loading means towards said reducing element means in increments ofpredetermined size.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means operativelyconnected to said loading means includes a rotatable ratchet wheel,means for rotating said ratchet wheel at a constant rate, and anadjustable cover means interposed between said ratchet wheel and saidmeans for rotating said ratchet wheel for adjusting the extent ofadvancement of said loading means towards said reducing element means.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said cover means ismanually adjustable.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for rotatingsaid ratchet wheel includes a pivotally mounted arm having a pivotallymounted pawl thereon for engaging said ratchet wheel and said actuatingmeans includes a stationary shaft for abutting said arm and pivotingsaid arm about said ratchet wheel whereby said pawl engages said ratchetwheel to rotate said wheel at a constant rate.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said loading meanscomprises a vertically mounted reciprocal loading plate for engaging theupper side of a compressed fiber bale in said bale receiving means.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 which further comprises a motormeans for lifting said loading means away from said bale receiving meansto permit insertion of another fiber bale in said bale receiving means.9. A method of reducing compressed fiber bales which comprises the stepsof positioning at least one compressed fiber bale adjacent a reducingelement means,

pressing the positioned compressed fiber bale against the reducingelement means by advancing the compressed fiber bale at a predeterminedstepwise rate under a load being advanced at a predetermined stepwiserate towards the reducing element means to reduce the fiber bale at apredetermined rate of output, and

moving the loaded fiber base across the reducing ele ment means.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said steps of positioning,advancing and moving the bale are repeated in sequential order.

11. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein a plurality of compressedfiber bales are successively advanced at a constant stepwise rate byadjustment of the extent of advancement of the load towards the reducingelement means whereby a constant reducing rate of output is obtainedfrom each of the plurality of compressed fiber bales.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the advancing of a bale isresponsive to the rate of reduction 5 output of the pressed fiber balewhereby the extent of advancement of the loaded fiber bale can beadjusted before subsequent movement across the reducing element means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,650,745 9/1953 Oberwortman146-123 X 2,681,090 6/1954 Hicks et a1. 146-119 10 3,166,797 1/1965Mayer 19-81 6 3,175,595 3/1965 Coutts 146-701 3,110,062 11/1963 Wildbolzet a1. 19-80 FOREIGN PATENTS 519,873 3/1931 Germany.

144,428 3/1965 U.S.S.R.

W. GRAYDON ABERCROMBIE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

